With the advent of a new style of service stations which can service a vehicle in a matter of minutes, the established automotive repair industry has had to adapt in order to keep pace and stay in business. To keep costs down and prices competitive, while maintaining a profit, the automotive repair industry depends on mechanics who can service a vehicle quickly and single-handedly. Because of the cost of and shortage of skilled labor, the automotive repair market requires that many times a sole mechanic must perform the desired task single-handedly and as efficiently as possible. However, with the increased speed and need for mechanics to work on vehicles single-handedly, safety becomes a concern.
While a vehicle is elevated, a mechanic can service the multitude of components located on the underside of a vehicle. Commonly, the mechanic elevates a vehicle to service the vehicle's exhaust system, brake system, suspension or to change fluids such as oil. Without the proper stand, a mechanic must either have another person hold the component being serviced, or hold the component himself while another person hands him tools required for the job. If, on the other hand, the mechanic uses a conventional stand, then he must nevertheless recruit another person to help him maneuver and adjust the stand to support the component or components being serviced. Generally, the other person assisting the mechanic is a mechanic also. Hence, instead of servicing another vehicle and increasing service sales, the mechanic's time is wasted and the amount of profits is drastically cut. In today's automotive repair industry this inefficiency can be fatal to many vehicle service businesses. To alleviate this problem various types of support stands have been utilized.
Generally, a support stand is utilized in automotive repair to hold or position components being serviced on the underside of a vehicle while the vehicle is elevated. A support stand also functions as a safety device by holding components in place and by providing a safety catch for components which can become dislodged and fall during servicing. For example, a support stand can be used to catch and hold in place the body of a muffler while the mechanic is removing or replacing the connecting pipes of an exhaust system.
However, conventional support stands generally require more than one person to operate safely. With many of the presently available stands, one person must hold the stand while the other person adjusts and maneuvers the stand. Other available stands are operational by one person, but these stands generally require the mechanic to use both hands to adjust and maneuver the stand into position. A mechanic generally does not have two free hands to use in order to operate the support stand because one hand is either holding tools or holding or positioning the component being serviced or installed. Frequently, the mechanic may not have another person around to ask for assistance and may find himself in an uncomfortable and unsafe situation.
Furthermore, many of the support stands used in automotive shops are also unsafe because of the way the locking device is designed. The locking devices used to fix the support stand at a desired height generally utilize a pin which the user inserts into the appropriate hole integrated onto the support stand bar. This type of device requires the use of both hands and is time consuming because it is difficult to get the pin into the hole. Other locking devices use notches and a latch or locking device that are difficult to operate and which are expensive. These past devices are unsafe because they can easily be jarred and released thereby causing substantial injury or can accidentally slip causing the same hazard.
To date, the ways of producing quality support stands, more pertinently their locking mechanisms, are expensive and inefficient. The expense is obviously reflected in the price of support stands. Because cost cutting is as important in today's automotive repair industry as is safety, many automotive repair shops elect to purchase support stand units of low quality, or go without them.
The patent to Elliott, U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,934, issued on Mar. 8, 1983 for a Lifting and Positioning Apparatus for Construction Panels, discloses a support device having a fixed strut, a movable strut and a guide and latch arrangement for retaining the struts in a parallel relationship. The apparatus disclosed in the patent to Elliott is intended to be used to lift and position sheet rock. Elliott's apparatus is unsuitable to safely hold or support components being serviced on the underside of a vehicle when the vehicle is elevated. Elliott's apparatus essentially uses two stands each having a rail upon which a panel is rested across. Elliott's apparatus could not efficiently be used by one mechanic to support components on the underside of a vehicle.
In the patent to Harrigan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,981, issued Jun. 4, 1985, for an Adjustable Telescopic Support, a support is disclosed which includes an elongated telescoping slide bar that is movable within the hollow core of a standard. The support includes a locking device incorporating an adjustable member threadable into the hollow core o f the standard and which frictionally engages the slide bar at a desired position. Harrigan's stand differs from the present invention in that, among other things, the locking device of the present invention quickly engages with one turn of a handle. In Harrigan's locking device, a handle must be rotated continuously until the end of the crank abuts the slide bar, thus taking up a significant amount of time. Further it would be extremely difficult for one person to hold the slide bar in proper position and at the same time rotate the crank over and over until secured. Additionally, Harrigan's mounting bracket would not safely support or hold small, curved components of the underside of a vehicle.
In the patent to Staples, U.S. Pat. No. 3,355,136, issued Nov. 28, 1967, for an Adjustable Support Device For a Vehicle, a support device is disclosed having an angled beam platform, a standard, a telescopic member in the standard and means to extend and hold the telescopic member. The locking device disclosed in the patent to Staples incorporates a pin which extends through holes integrated and aligned onto the standard and the member. The present invention differs from Staples' device in that, among other things, Staples' device is difficult and time consuming to lock via inserting a pin through two holes. The present invention can easily and quickly be locked by one person.
The patent to Petrie, U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,505, issued Apr. 11, 1967, for a Collapsible Stand, discloses a support stand having three portions: a first hollow elongated cylindrical tube member, a second hollow elongated cylindrical tube member that is inserted into the first member and threaded portion engaged with the second member. The device uses holes located on both of the hollow members, which may be aligned at a desired height and through which a bolt may be inserted as a locking device. Again, the locking device of Petrie is difficult and time consuming to engage with one hand while trying to hold the tube member in proper position.
The patent to Berg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,837, issued on Mar. 25, 1986 for a Locking Mechanism For Extendible Telescoping Tubular Members, discloses a locking device including at least one spring loaded lever that pivots about a fulcrum and which incorporates a ball-like end that engages registered openings in the telescoping tubular members. However, the locking device of Berg et al. consists of many components and requires the pressing of two plungers to disengage the device, whereas the present invention simply requires the turn of a handle to engage and disengage the locking device. Further, the locking device of Berg et al. is use in conjunction with a carpet stretcher and not on a vehicle support stand.
In the prior art discussed above, the support stands are either unsafe for the use of supporting components on the underside of a vehicle or are difficult and time consuming for one person to manipulate and lock. Therefore, there is a need for a safe and easy to operate apparatus for holding and supporting components found on the underside of an elevated vehicle while it is being serviced.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a device for use in conjunction with an automotive shop vehicle lift to support components located on the underside of that vehicle, while those or other components are being serviced, with increased safety for a mechanic.
Another object of the invention is to provide a maneuverable and easily adjustable device for holding and supporting components of varying heights located on- the underside of a vehicle while the vehicle is elevated.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an economical, safe and maneuverable device for holding and supporting components of varying heights on the underside of a vehicle while elevated, which is easily adjustable to the desired height by a person servicing the vehicle.
A further object of the invention is to provide a locking device to be used in conjunction with a support stand for holding and supporting components of varying heights and weights on the underside of a vehicle while elevated, which is easily adjusted and positioned with one hand by the person servicing the vehicle.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.